The Call of Empathy
by Becca Stareyes
Summary: Agumon speaks to BlackWarGreymon about empathy, purpose and where Baby Digimon come from. Missing scene between Eps 32 and 34.


The Digital World is a large place. Though I could feel the Holy Stones pulling me onward towards my purpose, crossing the space in between the relics took time.

I flew low to the ground, which required watching the land for unexpected hills and buildings, but the increased challenge served to keep my mind occupied. Though I had a purpose now, the questioning thoughts didn't still. I found I disliked the new doubts about as much as I had disliked the uncertainty before.

"Hey! Down here!" I almost didn't hear the voice over the rush of wind, but I did slow and double back to see who had called out. I had expected a challenger, or another attempt by my so-called creator to talk me into giving up my separate existence to follow her and her lackey. Instead, it was the Agumon who had spoken to me before, waving at me in an attempt to make himself look bigger than he was.

I landed -- softly as to not knock the small Digimon down. I wondered why I even cared what happened to him, but it took little extra time to land slowly, so it didn't really matter why I did. "Yes?"

"Hi! How's it going? You took off in a bit of a rush, so I wanted to make sure everything was all right."

Of course. We had spoken right before I had felt that pain, and had discovered the cause in the Holy Stone. I crouched down, bringing my head closer to him. "I have found my purpose," I told him. "I no longer need your help."

"Oh." He looked down. "Well, good. I'm happy for you." He gave me a toothy smile.

I turned to face him, looking down into his eyes. He seemed to be genuine, rather than sarcastic. "Why?"

"Well, that's what friends are like. When something good happens to a friend, it's like having something good happen to you. And you seemed upset earlier, but you're better now."

I thought about this. I was aware I had emotions, since I felt them, though other Dark Spire Digimon did not. I had never encountered feeling emotion for another being- no, that wasn't true. I felt something complicated for the other Digimon Arachnemon had created, though I couldn't put a word to what. And as for her... I felt something like contempt that she thought so little of me to have brought me into this world solely on a whim, or as a soulless destructive force.

But, there was nothing joyous about any of that, not like Agumon was describing. I wondered if this was the true difference between other Digimon and myself.

"Aw, see, you're upset again," Agumon replied when I hadn't said anything for a minute. "I'm sorry."

I didn't ask why he was sorry -- perhaps another 'friendship' thing. "I have to go." I stood up.

"Wait!" Agumon said. I crouched back down, giving him my attention again. "Can you fly a bit higher over this area? The Village of Beginnings is here, and Elecmon might get angry at you."

"Village of Beginnings?"

Agumon nodded. "Remember when I said I came from a Digi-egg? Most of them hatch here, and the babies are taken care of by Elecmon until they evolve enough to take care of themselves."

I remembered. I, of course, had never been to such a place, nor had I given much thought about what it would be like to have been born small and weak, rather than as I was now. "Who is Elecmon?"

"He's the Digimon in charge of taking care of Baby Digimon," Agumon answered, which told me exactly what he had said before, and no more.

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't know." Agumon shrugged. "He likes Baby Digimon, and someone has to Guess that's _his_ purpose. He'd get mad if you scared the babies, and he might shock you."

"Is he a strong Digimon?" I tried to picture a Digimon both gentle enough to care for a tiny Baby Digimon, or a fragile egg, yet strong enough to protect an entire village from the powerful Digimon I had defeated.

"Um, well, he's only a Child Digimon, like me," Agumon said. "So, maybe not so strong. So, um, don't challenge him to a fight or anything."

I tilted my head to the side. "But you said he might attack me if I scared his charges. That doesn't make sense."

"Like I said -- protecting this village is his purpose," Agumon told me. "I'm sure he doesn't want to lose a fight to you, but if he has to to protect the other Digimon, he will."

"I see," I said, even though I didn't. I put it into the same spot of my mind as Agumon's words about feeling glad for me. Was that really the heart of the differences between me and these other Digimon, who were hatched to a caretaker who would die to defend them? And was it something I could learn if I so chose, or was it set by my nature? After I tracked down the Holy Stones and found out why they produced such feeling in me, perhaps I would find out.

I stood up, and eyed the land that had been on my way towards my purpose. From the heights, I could see the trees thin out and a rolling hillside begin, patterned in green and yellow and spotted with brightly colored towers. So that was the Village of Beginnings. It was an odd place, unlike anything I had seen before, but it had a sort of comfort to it. Unexpected feelings rose up within me, and I turned away.

"Wait!" Agumon repeated. "Um... see you later, BlackWarGreymon?"

"We'll see," I answered. "If our paths cross again while I'm searching for the Holy Stones." Or later.

I took off. Steering away from the Village of Beginnings would take more time, but not terribly much if I gained altitude enough so that I could no longer see the cheerful place, except in my mind's eye.


End file.
